Bizarre Message Lingers After Fatal UHC CEO Shooting

The search for the gunman who assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday in New York is now nationwide. Details emerging from surveillance and witness accounts, including words etched on the shell casings, are assisting detectives in identifying a motive.

Thompson was en route to an investor conference when the assailant appeared behind a vehicle and fired several times at point-blank range before fleeing on an e-bike. Here’s a timeline of what we know so far according to law officials:

• Nov. 24: Police believe the shooter arrived in New York using a Greyhound bus departing from Atlanta. He allegedly checked into an Upper West Side hostel using a fake New Jersey driver’s license before checking out on November 29.
• Nov. 30: Officials tell CNN the suspected gunman returned to the UWS hostel, only paying in cash. Employees recall a man dressed identically to the suspect who revealed his face while flirting with a worker.
• 6:15 a.m. ET: A surveillance image obtained by the Washington Post timestamps the suspect departing the 57th Street F train station at 6:15 a.m. Detectives believe he took the subway from the hostel to Midtown Manhattan.
• 6:17 a.m. ET: Approximately 30 minutes before the shooting, police said the gunman stopped at a nearby Starbucks to purchase bottled water and two energy bars.
• 6:30 a.m. ET: Roughly 15 minutes later, surveillance captures the suspect on the phone. ABC News reports that investigators recovered a phone in the alley where the suspect fled on foot.
• 6:44 a.m. ET: Thompson crossed the street from his hotel toward the Hilton Midtown where the annual conference was scheduled to begin at 8 am. The gunman lurked behind a parked car, ignoring passing bystanders as the late CEO inched closer. He then came up behind Thompson and fired into his back, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny. The assailant approached the victim, simultaneously shooting and manually unjamming his gun. He then fled northbound into an alleyway on foot and onto the e-bike.
• 6:48 a.m. ET: Kenny stated officers found Thompson on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds to the back and leg. Meanwhile, the gunman rode the bike into Central Park and may have changed clothes.
• 7:12 a.m. ET: Thompson was pronounced dead at the hospital.
• 7:30 a.m. ET: The shooter is seen getting out of a cab he took from 86th Street to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station. Surveillance shows him entering the interstate bus depot, but never exiting.

                                                         What’s The Motive?

The motive for the attack is unknown. However, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called it “premeditated” at a news conference. The words “delay”, “deny”, and “depose” were found on the ammunition, raising speculation that this attack was committed out of disgruntlement toward the insurance company. The phrase rings similar to “delay, deny, defend”, a saying attorneys use for insurers that deny service and avoid payments. It’s also the title of Jay Feinman’s 2010 book about why insurance companies don’t pay claims and the patient’s options.

Detectives have not confirmed a connection to the message, as they examine all disputes and threats made against the 50-year-old executive. Paulette Thompson, the victim’s widow, told NBC she was aware of threats made against the company’s high-level executives. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details,” she said. “I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.” Minnesota police also responded to false bomb threats at both of the victim’s residences on the evening of his death.

United Healthcare, a subsidiary of United Health Group, services more than 50 million people. It’s one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies, amassing revenue over $281 billion in 2023 alone. However, UHC is no stranger to criticism for complicated care services. In October, a U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report included UHC as one of several surging in prior authorization denials. These authorizations impact whether patients receive care coverage or not.

                                                        Was He A Professional?

“In terms of a professional hitman, that seems unlikely,” former FBI agent David Shapiro told the New York Times. Retired FBI supervisory special agent Steve Moore called it “sloppy.” “What surprises me is how well planned the actual attack was… and how sloppy the killer was in his movements, in his showing his face, in leaving behind items,” he told CNN. The suspect abandoned a burner phone, backpack, bicycle, and a water bottle with a fingerprint. The smudged DNA was lifted for testing but yielded inconclusive results. The bike he rode is still missing, but a backpack was located Friday in Central Park according to NYT. Many speculate the suspect is ex-military or law enforcement due to using a silencer to perform the murder, which is rare in murder cases. However, experts believe he may simply be an experienced hunter.

                                                    Social Media Response

Social users have mixed reactions, with some delighting in the CEO’s demise and others fascinated by the gunman’s gall. “Remembering the day UHC denied a one-night hospital stay for my 12-year-old child as ‘medically unnecessary’ following ASD heart repair surgery,” said one X user. “NYC is crazy man,” another wrote. “How do you pull up in a hoodie, kill the CEO of the 4th largest company in America with a silencer on the hammer at 6:40 a.m., and peel off on a Citibike riding through Central Park? GTA couldn’t come up with that.” One mother confessed what should’ve been sad became a joyous day upon hearing the news of Thompson’s death – the same day as her late child’s birthday. The would-be 7-year-old was denied experimental treatment due to health insurance issues.

Investigators believe the shooter left NYC the same morning. The Atlanta Police Department is cooperating with the NYPD as they overwhelmingly receive nationwide tips. The flirtatious encounter may have revealed his face, but experts remain divided on technology’s ability to locate him based on the angle. The determined gunman has disappeared, yet his message lingers on. Delay, deny, depose.